"United President Scott Kirby, a pioneer of seat fees when he was president of US Airways a decade ago, has long said paying different prices for seats on a plane, even if the only perk is getting off sooner than other passengers, is no different than paying higher prices for seats closer to the front at a concert or sporting event.

Brett Snyder, a former airline employee who writes the Cranky Flier blog and runs a travel service called Cranky Concierge, calls that a "completely ridiculous comparison.''

"It's not like you need a view of the pilot here,'' he said."

Not even that - it's not like you need a view of the cockpit door here. And people don't pay for front row seats at a concert or sporting event to get out the door faster.

Quote from:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/skyrocket...020000455.html

Slightly OT: Sat in 738 10C SFO-OGG yesterday afternoon, full flight. Two sisters (standby, late boarders) asked me if I was traveling alone and asked if I would mind switching seats so they could sit together. I said "Maybe, I don't want a middle seat'. Second sister said, "It's an aisle seat". Me - "Which one?". 36D was the response. I think "Sorry, no" came out of my mouth before she got to "D"...